Meridian Police Chief Calls Keke and Kat to Discuss George Floyd

We've been watching as the world is going dark today on social media for #blackouttuesday. People started posting their blank posts and Instagram looks pretty dark right now. Yes, that's why if you were wondering.

This is a moment that began with radio, the music industry, and just spiraled. The goal isn't to post but to listen today. Imagine that. Just listen.

I was able to speak with our Boise Congresswoman Lisa Sanchez who was amazing and the first Latina to ever win her Boise City Council seat. We also talked to our friend Diana From Boisebucketlist with her perspective on moving into the area as a woman of color. So many calls with a different outcome on their lives.

My co-host was able to get Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea of the Meridian's police department on the air this morning and he was great. The number one thing I gathered was empathy and perspective. The Deputy Chief began with this message regarding the loss of George Floyd.

Obviously, what occurred is a tragedy for George Floyd and his family. It's something I've been vocal about from the beginning about the excessive misuse of force that was used and just utter disregard for his life. Quite frankly as a law enforcement officer and person who teaches arrest and control tactics, it was a pretty disgusting thing to watch and to see occur for his family and our profession. When a thing like this occurs it gives all of us in this profession a black eye.

The Meridan Police Chief went on to discuss how he's been discussing it with his own son and how this kind of force is not taught. He went on to say,

We just can't to continue using poor tactics and forget about it...it my 24 plus years we've never been taught to kneel on someone's kneck for any period of time let alone that length of time.

I didn't showcase my opinion but listened. We started to get calls from different perspectives and they got to be heard. I loved giving Idahoans that piece of mind that no judgment was being placed, just a moment to listen.

This week will tell us a lot of we just listen and try to learn from someone else. That's the least you can do right now. I'll post up the full interview soon and you can find that here including our Instagram page.